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BorišaMilekićPhD, graduated electrical engineer,Impuls Clinic, Belgrade, Serbia; bobanv@eunet.rs | Dragan ŠkobaljPhD, graduated mechanical engineer,International University Brčko District; p.skobalj@gmail.com | Predrag ŠkobaljPhD, graduated mechanical engineer,University of Belgrade, Institute of Nuclear Sciences VINČA, Serbia; p.skobalj@vinca.rs | Valentina TuranjaninPhD, graduated mechanical engineer,University of Belgrade, Institute of Nuclear Sciences VINČA, Serbia; valentin@vinca.rs |
Comfortable environmental conditions
(temperature and humidity) and clean air in indoor settings such as buildings
and vehicles are provided by heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC)
systems. Depending on the application and the functions of the building, HVAC
systems can be configured in a variety of ways. Increased transmission of
respiratory infections is associated with poor ventilation in indoor spaces.
There have been numerous COVID-19 transmission events associated with closed
spaces, including some from pre-symptomatic cases [1]. When it’s not possible to clean and disinfect
channels regularly, the air can become contaminated, which can significantly
endanger people’s health. Ventilation and air in HVAC systems conditioning channels
are very susceptible to microorganisms growth. The channels have not enough
light. They are damp and there are enough particles to grow a base. Air
distribution channel become an incubator for the growth of bacteria, viruses
and fungi which reach to human working and living environment and via
respiratory organs, hands, food and water they finally reach into the very
human organism. It is very serious problem for humans.
Within central
system for air distribution structure, it is already included filter section on
air conditioning chamber that prevents transit of dirt. However, filters let
fine particles small enough to be measured in nm to pass through them, and they
halt on the ventilating channel walls and create lamination of dirt. Exploring
and sampling of lamination from the ventilating channel walls for air
distribution show presence of viruses and bacteria in lamination. Ventilating
channel is suitable habitation for viruses and bacteria because of its huge
moisture and no light. Viruses and bacteria get to the respiratory human organs
via grid for air distribution.
Based on many years
of research it was created a device so called ECOROBOT for destroying viruses
and bacteria in air conditioning channels ([2], [3]), ECOROBOT (Figure 1) device is used for destroying viruses and bacteria in airing channels, in
order to provide clean and quality air to the indoor environment It is used in
buildings with forced ventilating and air conditioning, in business and
residential buildings, hospitals, banks, cinemas, theaters, restaurants,
hotels, airports, sport and production halls [4]. Its functions are: cleaning lamination,
suction of lamination, disinfection of channels, drying of channels. After
functions performed, all lamination is eliminated. The lamination is packed and
sterilized properly and handed over to ravage procedure. Viruses and bacteria
are destroyed and clean and quality air is provided to the space.
The device
performs four operations within a defined work area. Destroying viruses,
bacteria and other microorganisms can not be infiltrated into working space
through flowing vents. An intake manifold prevents this from happening and rear
rotation creates an air bag thus preventing microorganisms to infiltrate into
cleaned zone. After viruses and other microorganisms destroying process
performed, the device desinfects and dries the channels. The channel positioned
after the device remains completely protected from eventually harmful
microorganisms. Ravaging agents for viruses and other microorganisms are
biodegradable and leave no consequences on human health.
ECOROBOT performs cleaning and disinfection of all
types of channels (horizontal, vertical, flexible, rectangular, round) from Ø
100 to Ø 2,000 mm.
Figure 1. Two views on the ECOROBOT. |
In Republic
Serbia there is legal regulation for maintenance of channel airing systems.
Legal regulation comprises of The Law for occupational safety and health as
well as of The Rules for preventive actions for safe and healthy work on work
place. Based on above mentioned law, employer has an obligation to provide maintenance
of working tools (air conditioning instalation) on the work place. Figure 2 shows ECOROBOT operating in a rectangular channel.
Figure 2.
ECOROBOT operating in a rectangular channel.
1. Front rotational nozzle is used for taking off the
lamination deposited on channel walls with adjusted speed. An intake manifold
prevents the lamination from infiltrating into the front section, thus
preventing it from protrusion through flowing vents and entering of virus
particles into a working space.
2. Rear rotational turbo nozzle can change
number of rotations in order to achieve appropriate speed and create an „air
bag“ which stops protrusion of viral and bacterial particles into cleaned
space.
3. The intake manifold has capacity to suck
everything which is taken off the channel walls, it is provided by appropriate
speed of turbo rotational nozzle. The nozzle can operate with adjustable speed,
it is adjusted in accordance with quantity of material in the intake manifold.
4. After gathering of viruses, bacteria, fungi
and other lamination performed, ecorobot packs them into a reservoir and later
sends them to an autoclave machine
5. Front turbo rotational nozzle has smaller
dimensions from the nozzle for taking off the lamination. The nozzle has a
function of disinfection and ravaging of remaining viral particles and other
microorganisms on the film wall. This function is provided by reverse action,
when turbo nozzle is protecting the film in order not to plant and fertilize
microorganisms and viral particle again and not to produce eventual mutant of
unknown origin. The mutant can damage human organism in significant extent, and
quality treatment is performed only after its origin is defined.
6. In the next step it is provided simultaneous
functioning of the front and rear turbo rotational nozzle, which perform thrust
of biocide agents for ravaging of viruses and drying of channel walls. New
technologies at the entry of air conditioning chamber use filters capable to
eliminate particles measured in μm. Viral particles have dimensions in nm
and that is the reason why great number of viruses can be found on channel
walls. These unvisible viruses and microorganisms can be cleaned equally effective
with a wireless robot.
The most common
technique is impression of microorganisms because of its reliability. It is
easy to perform, it’s economic and reliable. Author’s idea was to make a
functional device of perfect function which will move freely through
ventilating channel. The device has to work within working area.
Cleaning of
rectangular channels is solved by stable self-propelled robot adaptable to
different dimensions and the same principle can be applied in round channels.
One of the problems was cleaning of vertical channels. For these purposes it
was made turborotational self-propelled nozzle device which uses its own drive
by a reactive spray and which uses turborotational circular spray for keeping
the device within the axle of channels with smaller diameters. In this way it
is provided quality cleaning and ravaging of viruses and bacteria in vertical
and horizontal channels of smaller diameters. Figure 3 shows ECOROBOT components.
Pos. | Name | Figure | ||
1 | Right drive | a) | b) | |
2 | Timing belt | a) | b) | |
3 | Base | a) | b) | |
4 | Suction buffer | a) | b) | |
5 | Suction throat | a) | b) | |
6 | Suction nozzle | a) | b) | |
7 | Rotational platform of the front nozzles | a) | b) | |
8 | Base for rotational platform | b) | ||
9 | Front rotational nozzle | a) | b) | |
10 | Front rinsing nozzle | a) | b) | |
11 | Housing with front and rear camera with a light | a) | b) | |
12 | Basket with a suction bag | a) | b) | |
13 | Housing with electromagnetic valves | a) | b) | |
14 | Rear rotational nozzle | b) | ||
15 | Intake of compressed air for electromagnetic valves
in the housing | b) | ||
16 | Connection for intake of compressed air from the
compressor | b) | ||
17 | Supply electric cable from control panel | b) | ||
18 | Left drive | a) | ||
19 | Electromagnetic valve for intake of compressed air
into suction nozzle | a) | ||
20 | Front camera | a) | ||
21 | Front light | a) | ||
Figure 3. ECOROBOT (Self-propelled
device for cleaning and disinfection of ventilating channels) with marked
components. |
ECOROBOT is much more than ordinary
technical invention. Strategic aim is to make ECOROBOTknown through its mass acting in every building with forced ventilatiion
and air conditioning, enable its presence in all kind of buildings and to make
it accessible to all of us. ECOROBOT is one of the inventions keeping our hope
in better, nicer, healthier and safer future world. Its multifunctional
technical/biophysical features and performance should be further measured and
investigated and based on the existing laboratory level constructed devices
should be developed industrial level devices production tracing worldwide
encouragement and vision of the roadmap of recilience and salvation.
[1] European Centre for Disease Prevention and
Control: Heating, Ventilation and air-conditioning systems in the context of
COVID 19, 22 June 2020.
[2] “Impuls” Clinic, : Project of robot for
desinfection of HVAC, Belgrade, 2012.
[3] Milekić B., Patent: “Device for
automatic cleaning and disinfection of ventilation ducts”, Registered 9. 3.
2012., valid till 29. 7. 2028. According to Patent document Nr 52089, The
Intellectual Property Office, Republic of Serbia.
[4] “Impuls” Clinic: Internal report for Ministry
Defence building desinfection of HVAC system, Belgrade, 2016.
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